Primer Recommendations

[zerodown]

Hi Guys,

I finally bit the bullet (no pun intended) and ordered up a 550B to start reloading but have some questions about primers. I plan to load 9mm and 223 predominately. Is there a big difference between CCI or Federal primers? Any advantages/disadvantages of either for these calibers?

 

[ochmude]

DISCLAIMER: Everything that I state is my opinion and backed only by personal observation. YMMV.

Federal primers tend to be a little "softer". This has the potential to allow for more reliable ignition with soft striking firearms. Only downside is you have to be exactly as careful as you are when you load with CCI...because you should always be careful when you reload. I go with whatever's cheaper, personally.

 

[Steve_P]

I use CCI primers almost exclusively for both 9mm and .223. Only exception is .223 match loads which get a Remington 7-1/2.
I like the harder cups for the AR, which should help in preventing slam-fires.

They also generally seem to be much cheaper than the Federals.

YMMV,

Steve

 

[BIG GUN]

Federal primer boxes suck! I have to dump the primers into a large box and then transfer to a flipper. And yes, they are soft.

 

[Finalygotabeltfed]

Get whatever primers you can and buy a lifetime supply.....they are all getting scarce.

 

[JimB]

?

from what i 've read primers are a hit and miss item.... good luck...

JimB

 

[Bugs100]

I like Winchester primers and have been using nothing else for years.

 

[Lugnut]

I like Winchester primers and have been using nothing else for years.

+1 Me too. I use Federals when I can't get Win.

 

[zerodown]

Get whatever primers you can and buy a lifetime supply.....they are all getting scarce.

Thanks all for the responses. Finalygotabeltfed - This is what prompted me to ask the question. I had a chance to buy a couple '000 Federal's so I did. Looking through some of the loading recipes for 9mm for example, most were made with CCI primers so I wasn't sure if it was a bad call on my end. Sounds like they may be hit or miss so hopefully they'll do the job.

 

[Finalygotabeltfed]

Thanks all for the responses. Finalygotabeltfed - This is what prompted me to ask the question. I had a chance to buy a couple '000 Federal's so I did. Looking through some of the loading recipes for 9mm for example, most were made with CCI primers so I wasn't sure if it was a bad call on my end. Sounds like they may be hit or miss so hopefully they'll do the job.

They should be fine.

 

[Lugnut]

Federals, Win, CCI... all work fine.... it depends if you gun likes them. Stock guns shouldn't have any issues with either.

 

[gerrycaruso]

The large primer flip trays from Dillon are about 5 1/2" in diameter and made of metal. They're larger than a container of Federal Gold Medal Match primers.

 

[BIG GUN]

The large primer flip trays from Dillon are about 5 1/2" in diameter and made of metal. They're larger than a container of Federal Gold Medal Match primers.

Their small pistol primer box is to large for my Dillon flipper!

 

[drgrant]

I like Winchester and Federal. Haven't tried any CCIs yet, but I know a lot of people that use them with good results.

One thing that sucks about Federals is the primers are often packed funny, so when you liberate them from their packaging, you can't get them to all fall
onto the tray the same direction.

Federals are also softer so guns with weak springs, etc, will be able to touch them off easier.


-Mike

 

[Finalygotabeltfed]

I like Winchester and Federal. Haven't tried any CCIs yet, but I know a lot of people that use them with good results.

One thing that sucks about Federals is the primers are often packed funny, so when you liberate them from their packaging, you can't get them to all fall
onto the tray the same direction.

Federals are also softer so guns with weak springs, etc, will be able to touch them off easier.


-Mike

Thats why one half of the tray has those spiral ridges on it. you dump the primers on the ridged half, shake side to side and the primers flip anvil up(bottom of the cup facing down). Thats what the flip tray was invented for.

 

[jhrosier]

I like Federal, CCI, Remington, anything else, and Winchester. In that order.
I have had more misfires with Winchesters in the last year than ever before.
I have never found Wolf primers for sale in my area, but have heard many reports that they are good quality and a little cheaper than the domestic brands.
The current situation indicates buying as much as you can afford of whatever is available.
I've heard that small rifle primers are particulary scarce recently.

Federal used to be a lot softer than CCI, but that has recently changed.
According to the folks at Dillon, standard CCI primers are now about the same hardness as Federals.

The big metal Dillon primer fllipper works fine with the large boxes of Federal primers.

Jack

 

[Finalygotabeltfed]

I like Federal, CCI, Remington, anything else, and Winchester. In that order.
I have had more misfires with Winchesters in the last year than ever before.
I have never found Wolf primers for sale in my area, but have heard many reports that they are good quality and a little cheaper than the domestic brands.
The current situation indicates buying as much as you can afford of whatever is available.
I've heard that small rifle primers are particulary scarce recently.

Federal used to be a lot softer than CCI, but that has recently changed.
According to the folks at Dillon, standard CCI primers are now about the same hardness as Federals.

The big metal Dillon primer fllipper works fine with the large boxes of Federal primers.

Jack

Jack,

Sounds more like a problem with your seating of the Winchester primers or you are getting a bad lot or maybe a light firing pin strike in your gun/s. I've used them almost exclusively (150,000 or more) for the past ten years in several calibers and have had only a single misfire in one .45acp round, which fired the second strike.
I chalk that up to improper seating and not a bad primer.

Its worth checking.

Also, most people who operate Dillon presses find that Winchester primers feed better in the tubes than other brands. Even the tech at Dillon advised me to use Winchester primers as they would operate better in their press. I've found his advice to be true and correct.